Sony confirms 'premium level' for PSN

SCEE CEO Kaz Hirai has confirmed today that the company will be adding a "premium level" to the PlayStation Network in an effort to speed up revenue growth from the $500 million-plus business.

Users will still be able to play games online, as well as access Netflix and the PlayStation Store, for free, so it is unclear what the premium level will give users.
"We will be building upon our current free [PSN] service offering with premium content and services to start the subscription model," says Hirai.

Hirai then emphasized that the foundations of PSN would remain free.

"SCE will further increase sales by offering users new entertainment through the combination of hardware, software, peripheral, and PlayStation Network," he added. "Especially in the online area, we are studying the possibility of introducing a subscription model, offering premium content and services, in addition to the current free services."

Originally posted by 21Q: I've had the ps3 for about 4 months now. I've yet to buy more than one game, and have barely touched the online stuff. As long as the gameplay is still free the rest doesn't really matter.

Originally posted by Invasian: Love the free online it's on of the reasons I switched game systems for online play. Hope they can upgrade servers a little bit by creating this.

It seems like the biggest weakness of PSN is the fact that the PS3 comes with a wifi adapter built in...people use these with the cheapest routers they can find, and have terrible connections because of it. Since most of the PSN is peer-to-peer, this makes it seem like the servers have crashed or glitched, when the problem is with the cheap routers that 99% of users will use.

Finaly, something I love about the 360 other than GTA DLC & Forza...no internal wifi, so very few people are using wifi.

Originally posted by Invasian: Love the free online it's on of the reasons I switched game systems for online play. Hope they can upgrade servers a little bit by creating this.

Since most of the PSN is peer-to-peer, this makes it seem like the servers have crashed or glitched, when the problem is with the cheap routers that 99% of users will use.

Well... wouldn't say the number is that high. From PS3 owners that I know in real life, a lot of them (in my area) have their units hooked up with Ethernet cables. I myself have mine hooked up to our D-Link Wireless N Gaming router. I do get what you're saying though, that because there are cheap routers out there, PS3 owners want the minimum to get onto online gaming.

If all the key functions remain free, I don't see who would subscribe to this. They can't do Qore (sp) thing again since not too many people honestly care about monthly updates on video games when they can goto a site like IGN, Gamespot, and 1Up and get daily updates on video games... for free... and with more video content and coverage.

I was totally opposed to the rumors about this. But I would be ok with it if online gaming were still free. That's all I care about. I never cared at all about Qore or Core. I have streaming Netflix, so I have no need or desire to visit their online video store. I can't think of anything else they can possibly add that would be subscription worthy. I have so many ways already that I consume media.

Possibly only release exclusive add-ons to blockbuster releases to subscribing members? Continue releasing add-ons in the PSN to non-subscribers, but release more robust ones to subscribers with a little more - larger maps, more characters. Or release the same ones, but give subscribers 50% off. Offer subscribers more chances to save money on games. I've logged on a couple of times and was lucky enough to hit a 1-day sale and get a couple of games 50% off. I even got lucky and downloaded Kung Fu Ragdolls (or whatever it's called) for free. I grabbed a few Guitar Hero track packs for free, only to seem them listed for $10 10 minutes later. But it was just being at the right place at the right time.

Perhaps instead of releasing betas of certain games to random people, release them to premium subscribers. I am too old and have no interest in hunting the web for special codes, or subscribing to lame news feeds hoping to get in as a beta tester.

I guess I would pay for a subscription if I knew ahead of time that during that year, I'll be getting what I really care about - a much richer gaming experience. Not little breadcrumbs.

X Box Live? Playstation 3 using P2P? I have been playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 for 5 hours probably a day, and have had minute issues with Playstation Network, and even if I did, I know it's because its free, and more people don't care about Live anymore. And besides, Xbox uses P2P just like PS3 does, so nobody can say anything about that crap. I'm sick of Xbox fanboys tryin to say biased information. Prove it, with facts, not heresy.

Actually the PS3 uses much more dedicated servers than the 360. Yes there are games that use P2P on the PS3 (MW2 as an example) but not as many as the competitor...

As far as the "premium content and services to start the subscription model" what I have come across (and hope it's true) is that Sony will be offering a few different things (nothing of which is concrete as of yet obviously) but the main one I am interested in is the Game, Music and/or Movie Rental "bundle" type of pay for use service.

You get "X" amount of games to rent at a time per month and can swap out at any time to anything available but only under that "X" amount at once. I.E. say 3 games on your HDD at any time and you can swap back and forth with a removal/download.

For all intensive purposes the "premium level PSN" is not like the Xbox's LIVE! (from the info released currently) as you are not forced to pay to play with your friends. It's basically a Gamefly/Netflix/Blockbuster but easily available/accessible via the PSN with a subscription fee...kinda like how those who want Qore can pay for it but it has nothing to do with accessing the PSN.

I really hope there is a music section added to PSN for this "subscription service". Considering I have no computer, I would benefit from this. If its also Netflix based, I might benefit from this also.

Originally posted by Oner: Actually the PS3 uses much more dedicated servers than the 360. Yes there are games that use P2P on the PS3 (MW2 as an example) but not as many as the competitor...

As far as the "premium content and services to start the subscription model" what I have come across (and hope it's true) is that Sony will be offering a few different things (nothing of which is concrete as of yet obviously) but the main one I am interested in is the Game, Music and/or Movie Rental "bundle" type of pay for use service.

You get "X" amount of games to rent at a time per month and can swap out at any time to anything available but only under that "X" amount at once. I.E. say 3 games on your HDD at any time and you can swap back and forth with a removal/download.

For all intensive purposes the "premium level PSN" is not like the Xbox's LIVE! (from the info released currently) as you are not forced to pay to play with your friends. It's basically a Gamefly/Netflix/Blockbuster but easily available/accessible via the PSN with a subscription fee...kinda like how those who want Qore can pay for it but it has nothing to do with accessing the PSN.

Game rentals would be interesting. I'm just confused as to how someone with an existing Netflix subscription would go about transitioningg to the PS3 service.

Originally posted by Oner: Actually the PS3 uses much more dedicated servers than the 360. Yes there are games that use P2P on the PS3 (MW2 as an example) but not as many as the competitor...

As far as the "premium content and services to start the subscription model" what I have come across (and hope it's true) is that Sony will be offering a few different things (nothing of which is concrete as of yet obviously) but the main one I am interested in is the Game, Music and/or Movie Rental "bundle" type of pay for use service.

You get "X" amount of games to rent at a time per month and can swap out at any time to anything available but only under that "X" amount at once. I.E. say 3 games on your HDD at any time and you can swap back and forth with a removal/download.

For all intensive purposes the "premium level PSN" is not like the Xbox's LIVE! (from the info released currently) as you are not forced to pay to play with your friends. It's basically a Gamefly/Netflix/Blockbuster but easily available/accessible via the PSN with a subscription fee...kinda like how those who want Qore can pay for it but it has nothing to do with accessing the PSN.

Game rentals would be interesting. I'm just confused as to how someone with an existing Netflix subscription would go about transitioningg to the PS3 service.

Well I would guess (hope) there would be different selectable options so for someone who wouldn't need the PSN Video Rental Service can opt out, especially when Netflix has mail & ddl offerings compared to what the PSN would be (only ddl).

Originally posted by Invasian: Love the free online it's on of the reasons I switched game systems for online play. Hope they can upgrade servers a little bit by creating this.

It seems like the biggest weakness of PSN is the fact that the PS3 comes with a wifi adapter built in...people use these with the cheapest routers they can find, and have terrible connections because of it. Since most of the PSN is peer-to-peer, this makes it seem like the servers have crashed or glitched, when the problem is with the cheap routers that 99% of users will use.

Finaly, something I love about the 360 other than GTA DLC & Forza...no internal wifi, so very few people are using wifi.

I use the University's internet (which hits the speeds of T1+), but yeah I know what you are saying.

BTW...it isn't just the cheap wifi routers that cause the problem, there are also a lot of cheap-o wired routers that have troubles with both 360 and PS3, especialy if you are using other devices heavily (open a torrent client on a PC connected to a linksys router, then try playing a PS3 or 360 online through the same router). I only mentioned the wifi because it is used far more often with the PS3 than with the 360.

If it is a kind of game rental service, it might be appealing...get every new game, the day of release for the price of just one game (if it is the same cost as live gold). Most PS3 games only last a day or two anyway...a heavy user could go through PS3 games like crazy if they were on a subscription.

Originally posted by KillerBug: If it is a kind of game rental service, it might be appealing...get every new game, the day of release for the price of just one game (if it is the same cost as live gold). Most PS3 games only last a day or two anyway...a heavy user could go through PS3 games like crazy if they were on a subscription.

That would be ideal, but it sounds way too easy. Heck, I woulnd't buy games anymore.

Well you have to remember that it would (probably) only be for PSN Games that devs put up there/allow. So disc based games like GT5Prologue & Warhawk that are on the PSN down through Fat Princess, Marvel vs Capcom 2 etc would be available for "rental".

Originally posted by Oner: Well you have to remember that it would (probably) only be for PSN Games that devs put up there/allow. So disc based games like GT5Prologue & Warhawk that are on the PSN down through Fat Princess, Marvel vs Capcom 2 etc would be available for "rental".

I wonder if trophy support would be enabled for rentals. Or if that would be kept as one of the incentives to actually buy the game.